The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-05-10
FORT SCOTS FIEND.
A Poor Widow Outraged by a
Negro Called 1BIue Jay
Williams"
He Will be Given a Short Shrift,
When he is Caught, at the
End o Rope

Fort Scott, Man., May l.-MrS. Alice n.
Fowler, a white widow who lived with her
six children on Margrsve street, i'm the
northern suburbs, was awakened by the
pressure of fingers on her throat, at about
3 o'clock Yesterday morning. Her assail-
ant warned her to make no noise at the
peril of her life and then slightly relaxed
his grip on her throat and demanded to
know where her money was. He said that
he knew that she had money, as friends of
his had seen her draw a considerable sum
from the bank within the past few days.
She replied that she had but 81 so, which
was in her pocketbook in the sewing ma
chine drawer. The fellow replied that he
did not want so little. and then cody told
her that he had inserted powder into the
door lock by blowing il in with quill and
that the explosion had shattered the lock.
He told her that he intended to enter
several other houses In the same manner
for the purpose of robbery. During the
time he consumed telling this he retained
his grip upon her throat.
THE OUTRAGE COMMITTED.
The fellow then threatened the poor
woman with instant death il she did not
submit to his wishes and pressed the muz-
zle of revolver against her temple. She
struggled but her assailant choked her in
to a state of complete insensibility and
committed an outrage twice. Then he at
tempted to leave the house when Mrs.
Fowler, partially reviying, struck match
and succeeded in catching a glimpse of
him as he passed out of the door and dis
covered that he was burly negro dressed
in light pair of pants and dark coat and
had belt around his waist containing a
revolver. She also noticed a peculiar
looking ring on his hand. He had threat
ened to return and the unfortunate woman
woke her children who aroused the neigh
bors.
About 5 o'clock last evening a negro
called Blue Jay Williams was taken to
Mrs. Fowler, and in him she recognized
or thought she did-the perpetrator of the
terrible outrage. He wore a ring which
resembled that which she noticed on the
hand of her assailant, and his clothing and
form answered the description perfectly.
THE FIEND STILL LOOSE.
Williams escaped from his custodians
and barricaded himself In house in the
vicinity, threatening to shoot anyone who
might attempt to force an entrance. He
was heavily armed and no one cared to
lead the assault upon the house, and during
the night he escaped unnoticed by anyone,
and his whereabouts have not yet been as
certained.
Many threats of lynching mere made
yesterday and last night and these will
probably be carried into effect If Blue Jay
can be found and Mrs. Fowler continues
firm in her belief that he is the brute that
assaulted her.
The unfortunate victim of the negro's
lust is in a precarious condition and is
still expectorating blood from the effects of
her terrible choking.
Fort Scott, Kan, May 4.-The truth has
at last come to light that Blue Jay Will
liams, the negro 6end, was securely placed
in Jail Sunday morning, the next day af-
ter committing the terrible crime.
Officer Dan Dodd gives the following ac-
count of "Blue jays" arrest:
cit was about j o'clock on Sunday
morning that Williams appeared at my
home and beseeched me to save him from
the hands of the maddened populace. He
was armed with gun and carried two six
shooter revolvers. he said that if the mob
which was after him should try to lynch
him he would sell his life as dearly as
possible, and 1 know from the way he
spoke he would have tried to kill a man
with every shot from the weapons. told
him to come in the house, which he did at
4:30 a. N. / got guard of three men to
take care of him while / went down to
talk to d. ID. Daugherty, the sheriff, in
regard to the best means of protecting him
from the fury of a mob. Both Mr.. Daugh-
erty and / felt that the negro would not
be safe If placed in Jail in Fort Scott,
and we decided TO take him to some place
else. 1t seemed that the best plan would
be to take him to Topeka, and so we got
a buggy and the sheriff and / drove him
across the county to the little city of
Devon, upon the Kansas, Nebraska and
Dakota road. We did not allow him to
leave the buggy when Devon was reached,
but drove about town till the train ar
rived, when / boarded it with my prisoner,
Daugherty driving back to Fort Scott
Blue Jay is now safely confined in
Topeka. where he can be found when the
time arrives for him to appear